This invention is directed to a portable field blind useful by waterfowl hunters as well as by photographers of wildlife.
Blinds which may be set up in the field and covered with camouflage are known, with such blinds having hinged covers swingable to an open position for exposing a field of view for shooting. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,848,352 and 3,323,530 issued to Chester M. Sayles and R. A. Smith, respectively, disclose such hunting blind structures. The hunting blinds of both of those patents incorporate top covers which may be biased to an open position with the aid of resilient elastic bands or cords. The cover of the Sayles patent is hingedly mounted on a vertical post at such a level that a hunter may sit under it. The cover opens only to a generally vertical, upright position in a direction against the wind. Thus, with the blind of Sayles oriented properly so that the hunter is facing waterfowl as they land in their normal direction against the wind, the wind would be opposing the opening of the cover. The flexible top cover of the Smith patent relies upon a trip cord for release, and utilizes elastic cords 36 attached to the edge of the blind structure which also serves as the pivot axis for the top cover. With this arrangement, it is very questionable as to whether sufficient leverage would be exerted by the elastic cords to pull the top cover fully open, without continuing manual assistance from the hunter inside the blind.
Neither the Sayles nor the Smyth patent provides a blind structure which would be suitable for covering a hunter lying on the ground in such a way that an hinged canopy could be rapidly actuated to an open position. There is a continuing need for such a portable blind which can be collapsed to a compact transport assembly, and rapidly and easily erected in the field.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,902,264, 3,622,201, and 4,483,090 issued to Theodore N. Radig and Jackie D. Carper, respectively, also disclose portable hunting blinds having coverings shiftable or collapsible to open positions, so as to expose a field of view to the persons inside the blind. None of the blind structures disclosed in those patents meet the aforesaid need for the type of hunting blind suitable and effective for concealing a hunter lying on the ground, while permitting him to rapidly rise to a sitting position as he trips or releases a covering canopy to cause it to be spring biased to a fully open position.